Packing and shipping pail



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. H'. JOHNSTON. PACKING AND SHIPPING FAIL.

PatentedApr. 16, 1895.

(No Model.) I

M. H. JOHNSTON. PACKING ANDV SHIPPING PAIL. No. 537,643.

2 sheets-sheen 2.

Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

isfrrs` STATES?" irren.

'artnr PACKING AND SHIPPING PAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,643, dated April16, 1895.

Application filed February 11, 1895- Serlal No. 537,858. (No modela To@ZZ whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, MICHAEL HAYES JOHNS- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, anda resident of Galesburg, Knox county, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing and ShippingPails; and my preferred manner of carrying out the invention is setforth in the following full, clear, and exact description, terminatingwith claims particularly specifying the novelty. This invention relatesto packing and storing vessels, and more especially to jackets for glassand pottery jars; and the objects of the same are to effect improvementsin the jacket, in the lid for the jar within the same, and in the coverfor the jacket itself.

To this end the invention consists in the details of constructionhereinafter described and as illustrated in the drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is a central vertical section showing the parts in position fortransportation. Fig. 2 is a similar section taken at right angles to thesection of Fig. l, the jar being removed entirely, and the lid and coverbeing slightly raised above the jacket. Fig. 3 is a plan View of thespring. Fig. 4t is a perspective view of the lid. Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the cover.

The spring.-Referring to the said drawings, the numeral 1 designates ajar which is preferably of glass, pottery, or the like. This jar is ofasize and shape to be fitted closely within a spring, which latter inturn fits into the jacket. Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, thespring consists of a ring 2 made of wire and of a size and shape to litwithin the jacket described below, and to this ring are connected atpoints quartering to each other the upper ends of two arms, each ofwhich is constructed as follows: 3 is an eye encircling the ring andsoldered or otherwise secured thereto, and from this eye the arm risesas at 4t, then curves over inwardly as at 5, then passes downwardly andbows slightly outward as at 6, then makes an inward angle as at 7, thenextends downwardly into a foot 8 adapted to rest on the bottom of thejacket, and finally rises ob liquely inward as at 9 to the centralbottom point 10 Where this arm extends into its mate which is preferablyintegrally connected therewith; and at this point 10the other two armscross the first two and are soldered standswithin the feet S-the bottomor baseV of the jar preferably resting upon the central point 10. Thespring then permits the jar to have a slight lateral movement in alldirections, and the upwardly inclining parts E) permit the central point10 to have a yielding downward movement; whereby the jars or blows towhich the jacket is subjected in transportation will not crack or breakthe jar. The entire spring is composed of three pieces of Wire which isof such size and resiliency as is required, and the exact size and shapeof the jar depends upon the necessities of the case.

The jacket-The numeral 1l designates the body of the jacket, which inthis instance is of wood, preferably having a slightly raised bottom 12forming a chine 13 around which passes a hoop 14C. There may be a hoop15 at about the center of the height of the jacket; but there isnecessarily a hoop 16 at the upper end of the jacket which has anoutwardly projecting iiange 17 at its top for a purpose to be describedbelow. The body of the jacket is preferably of the shape of an invertedtruncated cone like an ordinary bucket, its interior being of a propersize to admit the spring described above so that the ring of the latterwill rest within the body of the jacket and the feet will stand upon thebottom thereof. Any desired means may be employed for holding the springin place, but the devices described next below will eiect this end.

The Zd.-lnstead of providing the jar with an ordinary screw or clampcover, I preferably use the lid therefor best seen in Fig. 4:. Thisconsists of a body 21 which may be of wood and which has on its lowerface a gasket 2 of rubber or other suitable flexible material and of aproper size and shape to close tightly upon the upper edge of the mouthof the jar and seal the same securely. To the top of this body 21 issecured as by screws or otherwise, a casting preferably comprising anannular frame 23 with a central cross bar 214i having a lug 25 at aboutthe center of the lid, under whichlug is pivoted a ring 26. From oneside of this frame projects a tongue 27 which extends beyond the edge ofthe cover and hasv a reduced outer end adapted to enter one of severalholes 28 in one of two brackets 29- the latter being of someconsiderable vertical height, and secured to the inner face of thejacket at diametrically opposite points and in positions where theystand above the ring 2 of the spring. Opposite the tongue 27 the endsofthe frame,instead of being connected, are carried radially outward andcurved upward so as to form ears 30 with a bearing beneath them; and inthis bearing rest the ends of a short stub shaft 31 which is formedintegral with a lever 32. The inner end of the latter extends across thebody 2l and carries a hook 33 in which the ring 26 may be engaged; andthe outer end of the lever is preferably depressed slightly and formedwith a foot 34 adapted to take into one of the holes 28 in the oppositebracket 29 within the jacket. The parts being thus constructed, thespring is first inserted within the jacket and its ring passed beneaththe brackets 29. The jar is then filled with butter or other materialwhich it is desired to transport, placed within the spring, and presseddown tothe position shown in Fig. 1; and the lid is then brought intoposition, the tip of its tongue 27 inserted in one of the holes 28, itsbody borne down so that the rubber ring 22 presses upon the upper edgeof the jar, the tip 34 of the lever engaged with one of the holes of theopposite bracket 29, the inner arm of the lever depressed untilitstrikes the lug 25, and the ring 26 then engaged with the hook 33 atthis point so as to hold the lid firmly in position.

The cover-Referring now to Fig. 5,40 designates the body of the coverfor the jacket, which body is preferably of wood and is provided withtwo bracing strips 41 on its upper face at right angles to the grain ofthe wood. To suitable eyes l42 is attached a bail or handle 43 by whichthe entire device can be carried. On a central pin 44 is pivoted at itsangle a T-shaped lever 45 having slots 46 in its opposite arms, and tothese slots are connected the inner ends of metal straps 47 which leadoutwardly over the cover between the two strips 41, pass under guides48, and have hooked outer ends 49 of a shape and size adapted to takeunder the flange 17 of the uppermost hoop 16 on the jacket. Theremaining arm or foot of the T-shaped lever 45 has a slight laterallyprojecting dog 50 at its extremity remote from the pivot and adjacentone of the strips 41.

With this construction, after the jar has been placed in position andits lid locked in place as above described; the cover 40 is applied tothe top of the jacket 11 at such time when the foot of the T-shapedleverl stands over one of the strips 41 as seen in full lines in Fig. 5,which movement causes the hooks 49 at the outer ends of the strips topass outside of and descend below the flange 17; and the operator thengrasps the long arm or foot of the lever 45, presses it inward to thedotted-4 line position of Fig. 5 which draws the hooks 49 under theflange 17, then depresses the dog 50 insideY the strip 41, and releasesit, whereby said dog enters the inner edge of the strip to prevent thereturn of its lever to such position as would disconnect the hooks 49from the flange 17. The entire jacket with its contained jar may then betransported as by the handle 43, by side handles if they arepreferred,orby any other desirable means. The above described operationsare reversed when it is again desired to gain access to the conA tents.

All parts of this packing and shipping pail are of the desired sizes,shapes, materials, and proportions; and considerable change in thespecific details may be made without departure from the essentialprinciples of my invention.

It will be obvious that the jacket might be rectangular, as also couldthe jar, the spring, and the lid. The spring could be replaced by one ofa different construction, though I consider that shown and described tobe preferable. Some other form of lid might be adopted, though thatdescribed above serves the double purpose of holding the spring in placeWhile closing the jar; and a cover and cover fastening of dierent typemight be employed, though I prefer that described and shown for thereason that it is simple and effective and works to good advantage withthe other parts.

A shipping pail of this character will be found highly useful in thetransportation of butter and other perishable articles, and the 'same iseconomical in manufacture, easily cleaned, and not readily broken.

What is claimed as new is- 1. In a shipping pail, the combination with ajacket, brackets secured within the same near its upper end, andprojecting toward the center thereof a spring substantially as describedmounted within the jacket and having j a ring held removably under saidbrackets, and a jar within the spring held by the latter above thebottom of the jacket; of a lid for the jar, a tongue projecting from oneedge and adapted to engage one bracket, a lever pivoted on the lid withone arm projecting from vthe other edge and adapted to removably engagethe opposite bracket, and means for fastening the inner end of saidlever, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a shipping pail, the combination with a jacket, a pair of bracketsmounted within the same and each having an upright series of holes, anda jar within the jacket; of a lid for the jar having a gasket adapted toclose the mouth thereof, an annular frame secured to the upper face ofthe lid, a tongue projecting from one side of the frame beyond the lidand adapted to engage one of the holes in one of said brackets, a baracross the frame having a lug at its center, a ring linked under saidlug, said annular frame at a point opposite the tongue having twoupwardly bent IOO ears forming bearings, and a lever having its outerend adapted to engage one of the holes in the opposite bracket, havingat its center a stub shaft journaled in the bearings of said ears, andhaving at its inner end a hook detachably engaged by said ring, all asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a shipping pail, the combination with the pail proper, hoopsthereon, and a radial projection at the upper edge of the uppermosthoop; of a cover, two transverse strips secured thereon, a T-shapedlever pivoted at its angle upon the cover between said strips and havinga dog projecting laterally from the remote end of its foot so as toengage the inner edge of one of said strips, and metallic straps leadingfrom the opposite ends ot the arms of said lever outward over the coverbetween said strips and having hooks at their outer extremities adaptedto engage under said projection, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature on this the7th day of February, A. D. 1895.

MICHAEL HAYES JOHNSTON.

Witnesses: P. N. GRANVILLE, OSCAR PATERSON.

